What "age limits" exist in the Boy Scout program?
The ONLY age requirements established by the National Program are as follows:
11 years old to join (or completed 5th grade or earned Arrow Of Light)
12 years old by July 1st, to attend a National Jamboree contingent
13 years old to participate in COPE (14 preferred, 13 with Scoutmaster's recommendation)
13 years old to join a Venture Patrol
14 years old to join a Varsity Team
15 years old to join Sea Scouts or a Venture Crew
16 years old to be Youth Staff at a camp or Jamboree
Day before 18th birthday - the last day you are a Boy Scout or Varsity Team member (includes Venture patrol).
PRIOR to his birthday, all work (rank and badges) must be DONE. The
Eagle Board of Review can occur after the 18th birthday, but
work/project must be done PRIOR to the 18th birthday.
Day before 21st birthday - the last day you are a Sea Scout or Venture Crew member
There are NO age requirements for ANY merit badges or youth leadership positions (other than JASM and Camp Staff)
National
publishes no "minimum age" for Eagle Scout Rank, but the earliest
possible age a Scout could become eagle is 12 years and 6 months of age.